tolSCOVE^LED AT KIKKDALE, YORKSHIRE. ^65 
where cracks appear, they are far too narrow to havd ad- 
mitted the contents of the cavern to have entered by them. 
It is difficult, howeverj to make proper observations on the 
interior surface, for it is almost every where covered with a 
crust of stalactite ; pillars of which, at the opening of the 
cavern, were found hanging down like icicles from the roof, 
completely obstructing the passage in several parts, till they 
were removed. Quantities of the same calcareous matter 
covered the floor here and thercj in the form of stalagmite ; 
and this, in some places, was collected in the rounded cavi- 
ties of the floor, each forming a small section of a sphere^ 
resembling a cake of bees' wax, having one side flat, and the 
other rounded. 
Along the bottom of the cave, there was also found, in 
most places, a soft mud, or marly clay, varying in depth 
from an inch to four or five inches ; and where the stalag- 
mite prevailed^ the surface of the mud was glazed over 
with it. In this mud, or clay, the teeth and bones were 
principally met with ; and the greater part of them, parti- 
cularly of the larger bones, occurred in a broad part of the 
cave, about forty feet from the original entrance, and just 
before the present entrance. 
It is of importance to observe^ that the original entrance 
was of very small dimensions^ not exceeding two feet square; 
and being covered with the alluvium of the bank, to the 
depth of four feet or upwards, without any vestige of open- 
ing or disturbance, the cavern has had no communication 
with the external air since the alluvial beds were deposited. 
It has, however, small outlets, running under the alluvium, 
by which the water that drops from the roof makes its 
escape ; but whether they convey the water to the adjoin- 
ing stream, or to a subterraneous channel connected with it, 
cannot be ascertained. 
